Byron Dafoe

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
played_for = Washington Capitals
Los Angeles Kings
Boston Bruins
Atlanta Thrashers
position = Goaltender
height_ft = 5
height_in = 11
weight_lb = 190
nationality = United Kingdom
nationality_2 = CAN
birth_date = Birth date and age|1971|2|25|mf=y
birth_place = Worthing, Sussex, UK
draft = 35th overall
draft_year = 1989
draft_team = Washington Capitals
career_start = 1991
career_end = 2004

Byron Jaromir Dafoe (born February 25, 1971, in Worthing in Sussex, England) is a Canadian [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/nhl/voting_na/ CNNSI.com - NHL Hockey - Final All-Star Voting - North America Team - Thursday February 01, 2001 12:30 AM ] ] former National Hockey League goaltender. He moved to Canada with his mother at the age of two months old. Between 1992 and 2004, he played for the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings and Atlanta Thrashers.

Playing career

Dafoe was drafted 35th overall in the 2nd round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals and made his NHL debut in the 1992-93 season. Dafoe also played for the Capitals in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons. In 1995, Dafoe joined the Los Angeles Kings, with whom he stayed for two seasons before being traded to the Boston Bruins in 1997. In 2002, he signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Thrashers. Byron Dafoe retired from professional hockey following the 2004–05 NHL lockout.

Outside of the NHL, Dafoe has played for WHL sides Portland Winter Hawks (1986-1990) and Prince Albert Raiders (1990-1991), ECHL side Hampton Roads Admirals, AHL sides Baltimore Skipjacks (1991-1992 and 1992-1993), New Haven Nighthawks (1992) and Portland Pirates (1993-1994 and 1994-1995), and IHL side Phoenix Roadrunners.

During Dafoe's time with the Winter Hawks, he had an on-ice fistfight with Tri-City Americans goaltender Olaf Kölzig, someone with whom he would go on to have a friendly rivalry in the NHL -- so friendly that they served as each other's best man when they got married. He and Kolzig also had a "friendly" fight later in their NHL careers on November 28, 1998 when the Boston Bruins took on the Washington Capitals. During the game, a fight broke out that was so violent and all encompassing, the goalies (Dafoe and Kolzig) also got caught up in it. The fight between the goalies was primarily comedic, with both Dafoe and Kolzig laughing as they landed punches.

Along with fellow NHLers Kölzig and Scott Mellanby, Dafoe is a founder of Athletes Against Autism.

Awards

* Hap Holmes Memorial Award (shared with Olaf Kolzig) - 1993–94
* NHL Second All-Star Team - 1998–99

Career statistics

References

External links

*
* [http://athletesagainstautism.org Athletes Against Autism]